Sarah Wellgreen with her boyfriend Neil James, who said they had spoken on the night of her disappearanceCredit: Facebook

Her first husband Peter Symons has today revealed Sarah was "madly in love" with a man in Portsmouth — and may have been living with him.

Peter, 54, told The Sun Online: "I know that she had a new boyfriend in Portsmouth who she was madly in love with and wanted to get married to.

"I haven't got a clue who he is — all I know is that she had connections in Portsmouth."

Peter and Sarah met in Portsmouth and married in 1989 but split a year later after moving to Oxfordshire.

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Sarah's first husband Peter Symons said his ex had confided in him, saying she was 'madly in love'Credit: SWNS:South West News Service

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Cops have been scouring the woodland near missing Sarah Wellgreen's homeCredit: Simon Jones - The Sun

They remained friends however — and kept in touch on Facebook.

Peter told how they last spoke around eight months ago.

Speaking at home in Carterton, Oxon, Peter told The Sun Online: "We were on talking terms, which was good.

"Our marriage finished a long time ago - about 1990 it finished - but it's water under the bridge.

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Mum-of-five Sarah Jane Wellgreen went missing from her home in New Ash Green, Kent on October 9

"I read one thing that she might have been living back in Kent — so maybe her relationship in Portsmouth broke down, I don't know.

"I know that he had a couple of children and that she was in love with him and wanted to get married to him."

Peter's claims comes as former boyfriend, Neil James, revealed that they had spoken on the phone on the night that she vanished - the last contact she is known to have had with anyone.

Neil, of Farnham, Surrey, told MailOnline: "On the Tuesday night I spoke to Sarah on the phone at 9.24pm, the conversation went on for about 15 minutes.

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The 46-year-old was last seen in the Bazes Shaw area of New Ash Green, Kent

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Police continue to search woodland and fields near the home of the missing motherCredit: Simon Jones - The Sun

"She said she was at home and she was in bed. Every night Sarah and I would speak and every morning either she or I would say 'morning honey' and text and that would normally be before 8am.

"On Wednesday morning I texted her about 7.50am 'morning honey, how's you?', that sort of thing, and it didn't deliver."

He said at first he "didn't think anything of it" but panicked later when he couldn't get through, finally calling her children and then the police.

Neil revealed they had split up in the summer and she began internet dating and seeing other men, but kept in contact with him.

Cops were joined by more than 200 volunteers have been scouring woods near the home she shares with her ex-partner, Ben Lacomba, 38, and their three children — six-year-old twins and a 12-year-old son.

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The mum with her ex Ben Lacomba and two of her five childrenCredit: Solent News

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Sarah's disappearance has been described as 'completely out of character' after disappeared without her carCredit: Kent Police

Sarah, who also has two older sons — Lewis Burdett, 22, and Jack, 21 — still worked in Portsmouth and is said to have spent time in Surrey, where colleagues believe she had found a new man through online dating.

Sarah's uncle claimed that Sarah could have a new lover, saying she could have travelled abroad after starting a new relationship with a toyboy.

Ronald Wellgreen, 61, revealed he had been contacted by a man from Farnborough last week claiming to have been in a relationship with Sarah.

But the mum-of-five had reportedly told him in June she was seeing someone new and was no longer with him.

He said: "He said they were messaging each other every day until she went missing - and he hasn't heard from her since.

"I remember her telling me in June that she and this man in Farnborough weren't together anymore, but he seemed to think they were still in a relationship."

Ronald said Sarah has an apartment abroad - understood to be Alicante - and used to run a bar in Spain with Nerf gun fanatic Ben.

Ronald said he was "gobsmacked" by the probe.

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Volunteers help police search woodland close to Sarah Wellgreen's homeCredit: London News Pictures

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Police tape in New Ash Green, Kent, where mother of five Sarah Wellgreen has gone missingCredit: PA:Press Association

"It looks to me like she could have died, but I've got no reason to think she was killed by someone - why would she be?" he said.

"I do think she could be abroad somewhere - she has an apartment abroad.

"I have no idea why she would have left - no matter what happened on that Tuesday she would have wanted to take her children with her."

The manager of the beauty salon where missing mother Sarah Wellgreen worked today said two different men picked her up from work in as many months.

MartinPrus, manager of Puresun Health and Beauty Centre, said Neil James, from Farnborough, Hants, and another younger man had been to the salon to see the 46-year-old.

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Sarah's boyfriend Neil James said they texted on the night of her disappearanceCredit: Facebook

Mr Prus, 43, said: "I remember Neil James. He came to the salon about three months ago to pick Sarah up after she finished work.

"He introduced himself and seemed like a nice man - I remember him telling me he was taking her out to a nice restaurant after she finished work.

"I'm not sure how long exactly they were in a relationship, but I remember they were together for a while from what she had told me.

"A month later, around August time, a younger man came to the salon and dropped Sarah at work because he needed to use her car.

"He looked Italian or Spanish, and was probably in his thirties.

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Neil James said he and Sarah usually texted every morningCredit: Facebook

"Sarah asked me if the man could borrow my drill because he was doing some work to her house in Portsmouth.

"I don't remember his name, he was much quieter than Neil, but spoke very nicely and was polite.

"He then returned a few hours later to take Sarah home after work.

"I'm not entirely sure if they were officially a couple or not or if they had just started dating, but there was definitely something there between them."

It comes as Kent police said detectives from the Kent and Essex Serious Crime Directorate investigating as they confirmed her disappearance is "totally out of character".

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Police are asking people in this location to help find SarahCredit: Kent Police

Detective Superintendent Paul Fotheringham said: "She'd just had a new job offer she was looking forward to.

"She has spoken to friends about looking forward to the future and, most significantly, she has now missed one of her children's birthdays."

Her frantic family have been appealing for information after it was revealed her car was left outside her home and she has not used her phone or bank card since she vanished.

Last night, her distraught dad Anthony Wellgreen, 67, said: “I don’t understand it at all. It’s not in her character to disappear like this.

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Local residents volunteer to help in searching around the home of the missing mum-of-fiveCredit: London News Pictures

“Nothing like this has ever happened before. We are all so worried. Two weeks is a long time to be away.”

Horrified neighbours in the sleepy village have been praying the mum is safe as cops extend the search area around her home.

One, who didn't want to be named, said: "I'm hoping for her children's sake that Sarah is still alive. She never really left the house much from what I could tell so this idea she's gone and started a new life is very unusual and I doubt that's the case.

"I'm worried sick about her.

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Sarah's ex-partner, Nerf gun fanatic Ben Lacomba, 38

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Mr Lacomba is the father of three of the mum-of-five's children

"I know the family well. She had six-year-old twins and a 12-year-old and they are lovely. They're always very smart and well looked after. They're friends with our grandchildren so we know each other as families.

"I feel so sorry for them. This is absolutely awful."

Another, who spoke with Sarah the day she vanished, said: "She made a joke, saying 'oh, you got here before me today'.

"She was really happy and smiley, not acting strangely or like she was going to disappear.

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Sarah with her uncle Ronald at his 60th birthdayCredit: Solent News

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Sarah's disappearance has shocked her family and friendsCredit: Solent News

"It's really out of character for her. It's weird."

Cops are now asking for anyone who saw anything suspicious in the village overnight on October 9 to come forward.

They are also urging locals to check outhouses and areas surrounding their properties for any sign of Sarah.

DSI Fotheringham said: "We have experts with specialist technology and forensic scientists working with us to try and find Sarah.

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Sarah, 46, is described as being white, of medium build and around 5ft 7ins tall, having straight brown hair and green eyesCredit: Kent Police

"We are particularly interested to hear from anyone with fixed CCTV cameras within a five mile radius of New Ash Green, whether this is residential or commercial CCTV to come forward.

"Likewise, anyone who was out on the evening of the 9 October to the morning of 10 October in that five mile area who has dashcam in their vehicle, please contact us.

"We are also appealing to those living and working in the area bordered by the A2, M25, Meopham, Cobham, Horton Kirby and Darenth to check their sheds, outbuildings and areas of rough ground or woodland for any sign of Sarah."

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Police hack through undergrowth as the search continues for the missing mum-of-fiveCredit: London News Pictures

Sarah and Nerf gun fanatic Ben split up following the birth of the twins but six months ago she moved back in with the cabbie.

Sarah, who also has two older sons — Lewis Burdett, 22, and Jack, 21 — still worked in Portsmouth and is said to have spent time in Surrey, where colleagues believe she had found a new man through online dating.

Martin Prus, 46, her manager at Puresun Hair and Beauty Centre in Portsmouth, told The Sun this week: “She is always in different locations. She is a very busy woman.

“I know she had been travelling between Portsmouth, Kent and somewhere near Guildford in Surrey.

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Police search the home of missing mother Sarah Wellgreen who has not been seen since the evening of Tuesday October 9thCredit: London News Pictures

“We know she was connected to at least three areas.

“In Portsmouth she was with her eldest sons, and when in Kent she was with her ex-partner.

“They were sharing the children, that’s what I know."

Mr Prus added that Sarah, thought to have been married three times, worked at the salon full-time for around two years before going part-time when she moved back to Kent.

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Police descend upon the town of New Ash Green in the search for Sarah WellgreenCredit: London News Pictures

She is also believed to own a home in Portsmouth which she rents out.

Police have spent several days searching her home as well as trawling through social media and dating sites for clues.

Officers have also used drones and dogs to search an area of woods they have cordoned off near her and Ben’s £265,000 terraced home.

Over the weekend, police also searched land and fields by a nearby private hospital and pub, and woodland in Ridley, about two miles away from where she lived.

Sarah’s oldest son Lewis has put out several appeals on social media, which have been shared thousands of times.

He described his mum’s disappearance as completely out of character, saying that she was “happy, with no problems”.

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